Tories take surprise Coventry council seat amid anger over homes plan near beauty spot

Local, national, international and oddball news stories

Tories take surprise Coventry council seat amid anger over homes plan near beauty spot

Postby dutchman » Fri Sep 23, 2022 6:47 pm

Coundon Wedge is believed to have been a major issue for voters

Image

A Coventry council seat that has been Labour for 12 years has been gained by the Conservatives amid anger over homes planned near Coundon Wedge. Jackie Gardiner won the race for Sherbourne - to the surprise of Labour leader George Duggins.

The by-election last night (Thursday, September 22) followed the death of much-loved Labour Cllr Seamus Walsh in July. Now Labour is insisting it does not mean the Tories will take over Coventry.

Yet the Conservatives are delighted. And they are now expecting to sweep up more seats in the future.

Yesterday, Cllr Gardiner, who lost in May in the ward by 35 votes, won 51% of ballots and a majority of 514. Labour's candidate Des Arthur came second with 32%, while other parties trailed picked up less than 5% of the vote.

There was a turnout of 23% and around 900 fewer people in the ward voted than in May. Labour are still in overall control of Coventry City Council with 38 seats, while the Conservatives now have 15 and the Greens one.

Plans to build on a greenfield site off Browns Lane, near to the Coundon Wedge beauty spot, were seen as a major reason for the upset. Coventry Conservatives leader Cllr Gary Ridley told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): "The last straw has been Coundon Wedge."

The issue "came up on the doorsteps again and again," he said. "It's not just about the Green Belt, it's a trust issue."

A spokesperson for Coventry City Council previously said that Browns Lane had been identified for development since at least 1991. They told the Coventry Telegraph that "we are fulfilling our 30 year pledge not to build on Coundon Wedge."

But the issue of the wedge's boundary appears to be disputed. A Conservative source told the LDRS that it "depends which maps you read, but it is locally understood as Coundon Wedge."

"Unfortunately for the council, even if they're right, telling local people they're wrong about where their local greenspace is/isn't came across as patronising." Labour's leader Cllr George Duggins told the LDRS it was "obviously a disappointing result" for the party.

Asked if it was expected, Cllr Duggins said: "I don't think anybody did given where we are nationally and locally. It was a surprise result.

"If there are any lessons to learn, of course we will try to learn them." But he denied that it could forecast difficulty for Labour come next year's city-wide elections.

"I don't think I'd read anything into the long-term, that's really where our focus will be. "The Conservatives are not on the brink of taking Coventry any time soon."

Coventry Conservatives' leader Gary Ridley was more optimistic for his party's fortunes. "This was a landslide, 51% of the vote - the Labour party should be seriously worried about this," he said. "It does set us up for future gains in May."

Cllr Gardiner told the LDRS that she was "astounded and grateful and humbled" at the result. On Coundon Wedge she said "enough is enough, we have to do all we can to save this precious green space."

Her first act as a councillor will be to meet with locals about a campaign to tackle speeding on Evenlode Crescent.

Image
User avatar
dutchman
Site Admin
 
Posts: 50286
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 1:24 am
Location: Spon End

Re: Tories take surprise Coventry council seat amid anger over homes plan near beauty spot

Postby rebbonk » Sat Sep 24, 2022 1:59 am

A win on a 23% turnout out is not really significant. All it shows is that 77% of the electorate couldn't care less and that is a worry that politicians of all colours should be looking at. Something needs to be done to engage with voters and improve turnout. A union couldn't call a strike on these figures, could it?
Of course it'll fit; you just need a bigger hammer.
User avatar
rebbonk
 
Posts: 65579
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2009 7:01 am

Re: Tories take surprise Coventry council seat amid anger over homes plan near beauty spot

Postby dutchman » Sat Sep 24, 2022 2:17 am

I knew Labour were worried because they actually sent me a bunch of election leaflets which they don't normally bother with as they assume everyone around here will vote for them anyway.

The only other election leaflet I received was from the TUSC who I assume hate Labour even more than they hate the Tories?
User avatar
dutchman
Site Admin
 
Posts: 50286
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 1:24 am
Location: Spon End

Re: Tories take surprise Coventry council seat amid anger over homes plan near beauty spot

Postby dutchman » Mon Dec 05, 2022 2:43 am

Hundreds sign petition in fight to save Coventry beauty spot

Image

Almost 900 people have signed a petition against plans to remove much-loved farmland in Coventry to make way for a housing development. Residents are urging the council to save a green spot in Browns Lane in Coundon Wedge.

The council-owned patch of land could be cleared off for 350 new homes. Residents are concerned over the impact the development could have on the area and the loss of the green space.

They are also worried that the project could pave the way for new developments across Coundon Wedge. The Browns Lane site was declassified as greenbelt land in the 1970s to support the expansion of the Jaguar factory. The plant later closed in 2009.

Local resident Breda Williams, who is backing the petition, said: "This proposal will result in the loss of a precious local beauty spot and increase traffic. This may be ‘council-owned’ land, but they only hold it on behalf of the people. I would urge them to listen to the people who are demanding they stop the sale and save Coundon Wedge."

Commenting on the application, Tory councillor Tarlochan Singh Jandu, who collected signatures for the petition, said: “This development would have devastating consequences for the area's residents. They want to bulldoze our greenbelt, which will intensify pollution and exacerbate poor air quality.

"It would increase traffic in an area that’s already struggling and increase the potential for flooding. I call on the council to put people before profit and withdraw this dreadful plan. Please work with residents to develop a local plan for local people, not this developers charter.”

The residents also have the backing of the Leader of the Conservatives at the council. Commenting on the petition, Opposition Leader Cllr Gary Ridley said: “I’m not surprised so many people have signed this petition. Everyone I’ve spoken to is outraged."

Cllr Jandu will present the petition to councillors at a meeting on Tuesday, December 6. A spokesman for the Labour-run Coventry City Council has previously said that, if the scheme is approved, they would stand by their 30-year pledge not to build on Coundon Wedge - which remains in effect.

“Browns Lane is an allocated housing site in the Coventry Local Plan," he said. "There has always been a plan for new homes here. In the local plan the site was identified for 475 new homes and now we are proposing 350 new homes.

“We are not building on any land that has not been identified for development since 1991 and we are fulfilling our 30-year pledge not to build on Coundon Wedge."

Image
User avatar
dutchman
Site Admin
 
Posts: 50286
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 1:24 am
Location: Spon End


Return to News

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 9 guests

  • Ads